Stories from Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Charles Konantz Griffith, 83, of Fort Scott, formerly of Uniontown died early Monday morning April 27, 2009, at Mercy Health Center of Fort Scott. He was born February 4, 1926 in Uniontown, Kansas, the son of Glen Rex and Grace Miriam (Konantz) Griffith...

As part of a statewide project, hundreds of Bourbon County residents are walking across Kansas. According to Kansas State Research and Extension Agent Ann Ludlum, while participating in Walk Kansas, an eight-week health and wellness program, 50 Bourbon County teams comprised of 300 area residents are currently increasing their levels of physical activity and their intakes of healthy foods. ...

Local residents are being asked to help volunteer on Join Hands Day. The project will take place on Join Hands Day, May 2 and will include picking up trash at Gunn Park and holding a laundry detergent drive for Mother to Mother. The work will being at 9 a.m. at Gunn Park's first Shelter House...

UNIONTOWN -- A local committee plans to have a revamped city park open by this summer. The park committee has worked the last few years to raise money for beautification of the city's only park. Earlier this year, the committee received an $82,000 Small Communities Improvement Program grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce to aid in their efforts...

In spite of strong wind gusts that blew through Fort Scott at about 19 mph on Saturday, many local residents were able to spend a little time getting to know the people who put their lives on the line on a daily basis for the good of the community. The event, which was co-sponsored by Woods Supermarket, gave area residents a good opportunity to meet some of the public safety personnel in the local area. ...

The Bourbon County Chapter of the American Red Cross will be conducting a new event on Saturday, which will allow them to raise the necessary funds to meet various local needs. According to Whendi Martin, Executive Director of the local Red Cross, the Bourbon County Chapter will be conducting the first Ride for the Red Poker Run in Bourbon County at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 3. Riders should register at 12:30 p.m. at the local Red Cross office, 116 S. Main...

As of early Wednesday, no additional cases of swine flu had been reported in Kansas, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. There are still two confirmed cases in the state, and the number of total cases in the United States has reportedly surged to nearly 100, according to the Associated Press. The new flu strain has killed more than 150 people in Mexico and a toddler in Kansas. The virus has sickened dozens more Americans in 10 confirmed U.S. states...

Area residents will soon find it easier to spend the day fishing with their families. According to Fort Scott Park Supervisor Russ Hughes, the City Fort Scott and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks are cooperating to construct a handicapped-accessible fishing dock at Lake Fort Scott...

The Fort Scott High School String Ensemble will kick off a returning summer concert series Friday in downtown Fort Scott. The nine-member orchestra ensemble will perform a variety of music, including classical, show tunes and easy listening, during the first event scheduled as part of the Friday night concert series at 7 p.m. ...

As more rain is called for in the forecast, the Marmaton River is expected to continue rising. According to the National Weather Service, the Marmaton River crested at nearly 41.5 feet Wednesday, 3.5 feet above the official flood stage and 6 inches below the moderate flooding stage. Bourbon County Emergency Manager Keith Jeffers said a range from 2-6 inches of rain fell Wednesday throughout the county...

Fort Scott Community College's football team faces Butler once -- sometimes twice -- a season. The FSCC men's basketball team has played Butler occasionally throughout the past few seasons. But this may be the first time in decades that the two schools' baseball programs will face each other -- if they ever have, that is...